Local Beauty Queen Dies in Crash

(Photos Courtesy of Dawn Reese)

It is always a sad day when we lose one of our queens in the pageant world. On Valentine’s Day, 20-year-old Katarina Huffman, also known as Katrina Dickinson died when her Ford Mustang crossed the median into oncoming traffic. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, she was traveling eastbound at 10:42 p.m. when she failed to maintain control and crossed through the curbed grass median into the westbound lanes. She collided with three other cars. She was pronounced dead at the scene. She was wearing her seat belt and alcohol does not appear to have been a factor. None of the drivers or passengers in the other cars were hurt.

Katarina held numerous titles including Miss Teen Charlotte County, Miss Ft. Myers, Little Miss Ft. Myers, Miss Teen Daytona Beach and Million Dollar Baby. Most recently, she was Miss Hollywood Showbiz Reporter for 2016 and 2017. She was also an acting mermaid and just graduated from school as an emergency medical technician.

Katarina was a woman with a passion for service and loved helping others. She was a role model for other beauty queens. It is tragic that she is gone at such a young age. My thoughts are with her family and friends.